Man Utd V Norwich at Old Trafford - Match Preview

Last updated : 28 October 2013

David Moyes has hailed the spirit of Manchester United midfielder Adnan Januzaj as he continues to make a major impact in his first Barclays Premier League season.

Januzaj came off the bench to help inspire United's 3-2 comeback win over Stoke at Old Trafford on Saturday and Moyes believes his slender build belies a ferocious competitive instinct.

Januzaj is is line to start for United along with Saturday's match-winner Javier Hernandez in the Capital One Cup clash with Norwich at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Moyes said: "If ever there was a boy who can take it, it will be him.

"You just hope the referees give him the correct protection, and I'm sure they will, but he won't be moaning about it - he's a great lad and he'll bounce up and get on with it.

"You can kick him as hard as you like and it won't affect him."

Moyes has admitted that Wilfried Zaha is in contention to face Norwich despite not yet making his Premier League bow for the champions.

Zaha has been linked with a possible loan switch away from United in January.

"I just don't think we have had the right opportunity to get him on as much as would have liked," Moyes told the United website.

"We don't want to put him in too quickly. We want to make it the right time.

"I've said I would look at it in January as I wanted to have him here for six months to see how we work. I told him we would try to get him minutes but the competition in the wide areas we have with Nani, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Adnan Januzaj and even Shinji Kagawa playing off the side means we are as strong there as anywhere.

"It's not that Wilf has done anything wrong, it's just that we have big competition and we have to try to make sure he gets some playing time. Unfortunately, we haven't done that with Wilf and, if it's still the case in January, we would look at it. But he is very much in my plans and in my thoughts all the time."

United head into the clash with the Canaries keen to keep their good run going after back-to-back successes against Stoke and Real Sociedad went some way towards improving on their sluggish start to the season.

After Saturday's bruising encounter Moyes will have to check his treatment table before confirming his squad for the game.

Meanwhile, Chris Hughton is confident of an upturn in fortunes at Norwich ahead of the daunting task of taking on United and Manchester City in successive matches this week.

The Canaries are far from flying in the Barclays Premier League, where they next meet City on Saturday, having lost five of their opening nine matches to sit third from bottom.

Sunderland and Crystal Palace, the two clubs beneath Norwich in the standings have changed manager already this term, but Hughton is relaxed about his future and certain Norwich's performances will soon be rewarded by points.

Hughton, whose side were dominant in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Cardiff, has not sought assurances from the Canaries hierarchy and believes any speculation over his position is a symptom of the modern game.

"Our concerns are always about making sure we get results," Hughton said.

"For us it's not a comfortable position being in the bottom three. It's not a position we want to be in.

"It's very early days. You have to accept any criticisms and frustrations, but our performances will show that we are endeavouring to play the best football that we can, to try to play winning football.

"It's about trying to turn our recent good performances into winning performances.

"On Saturday, with the performance, it didn't go for us, even with the dominance that we had of the game.

"Sometimes it's that little bit of luck. Perhaps we're not getting so much of the rub of the green at the moment, but you have to have belief in what you're doing.

"It might be an own goal, it might be a scrappy goal, it might be a deflection that changes that."